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Transfers 2015/16

The Sarries player is Eoin Sheriff a second row which is good cause we need depth there.
 
Happy with our acquisitions so far. Gibson, Paterson, Brookes proven to be good AP performers and all Eng qualified. Hill sounds a great prospect who is at perfect spot to develop. Howard I am glad gets good reviews but I hope doesn't get in front of Stephenson's game time, we do have a habit of having England age group backs who don't break in (e.g Day/Hooley/Olver) and he is a talent we can't let stagnate. JJ Hanrahan seems like Stephen Myler's eventual replacement and word from Munster thread was positive. We need a ball carrying forward to replace (or at least partially mitigate as replacing nigh on impossible) Samu.
 
91jmay said:
Hill sounds a great prospect who is at perfect spot to develop.
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Paul Hill has been absolutely outstanding at u20 level, near to the impact Itoje had IMO.

I someday hope to see him playing for Yorkshire in the premiership! :D
 
Good to hear, as long as it is after a decade long career of Saints success, I am fine with that :cool:
 
91jmay said:
Happy with our acquisitions so far. Gibson, Paterson, Brookes proven to be good AP performers and all Eng qualified. Hill sounds a great prospect who is at perfect spot to develop. Howard I am glad gets good reviews but I hope doesn't get in front of Stephenson's game time, we do have a habit of having England age group backs who don't break in (e.g Day/Hooley/Olver) and he is a talent we can't let stagnate. JJ Hanrahan seems like Stephen Myler's eventual replacement and word from Munster thread was positive. We need a ball carrying forward to replace (or at least partially mitigate as replacing nigh on impossible) Samu.
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He'll have a tough time being Myler's replacement when we take him back as soon as he comes good ;)
 
Not sure how you are all so sure, idea of him being 'odds on' to go back is ridiculous. Anyone got an example of that happening before? Also he rejected a contract there, so not like he was pushed out and is desperate to stay. Going forward think it will become increasingly difficult for Pro 12 teams to outspend top Prem sides.
 
91jmay said:
Not sure how you are all so sure, idea of him being 'odds on' to go back is ridiculous. Anyone got an example of that happening before? Also he rejected a contract there, so not like he was pushed out and is desperate to stay. Going forward think it will become increasingly difficult for Pro 12 teams to outspend top Prem sides.
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An example of an Irish player leaving Ireland to improve their career then returning?

Well...

Shane Jennings, Leo Cullen, Ian Humphreys, Tommy Bowe, Johne Murphy, Mike Ross, Eoin Reddan, Jonny Sexton (in a few months time) etc.etc.

Easier to count the high profile players who never returned tbh. You've got Bob Casey and Geordan Murphy and *tumbleweed noises here*

Look, lets do a simple Q&A here

Does Hanrahan want to play international rugby? Yes.

Who does he want to play it for? Probably Ireland.

Can he break into the Ireland team when playing in England? Almost definitely not.

Ergo, at some point, the odds are on him returning home to have an international career. It's not the only possibility but it is clearly the most likely, assuming he hits his potential... and if he doesn't, he's not Myler's replacement anyway.
 
I didn't pose the right question there. I didn't mean he will never play again in Ireland, obviously he will at some point. I meant in the context of whether he will come to Saints and then Munster take him back when they want. I think no. I was asking for examples of Irish sides outspending top English ones basically not Ireland - England - Ireland players.
Landscape has changed pretty dramatically now and Ireland are looking at non-Ireland based players. Sexton didn't go back as he had furthered his career. He has failed in Paris. However I think more and more players will be going abroad from Ireland and being picked from there.
 
JJ is getting good money at the Saints but as MM will readily tell you it was purely down to rugby that he chose to go, the IRFU put a offer that well outstrips any uncapped 21 year old Ireland have ever had but he went as he felt he would be playing more regular higher level rugby.

Sexton is a whole different kettle of fish, he was an established intonation who pulled the trigger that ROG, BOD ect. never did because he felt the IRFU contracting process was a shambles (which it kind of was).
 
lynam1104 said:
JJ is getting good money at the Saints but as MM will readily tell you it was purely down to rugby that he chose to go, the IRFU put a offer that well outstrips any uncapped 21 year old Ireland have ever had but he went as he felt he would be playing more regular higher level rugby.

Sexton is a whole different kettle of fish, he was an established intonation who pulled the trigger that ROG, BOD ect. never did because he felt the IRFU contracting process was a shambles (which it kind of was).
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This exactly. He wants to be a starter. If he progresses and developes then at end of his Saints contract we will go for him. He'd be in a stronger place to demand starting 10 jersey too.
But it's all what ifs now it's just let him go and see can we make potential a reality
 
91jmay said:
I didn't pose the right question there. I didn't mean he will never play again in Ireland, obviously he will at some point. I meant in the context of whether he will come to Saints and then Munster take him back when they want. I think no. I was asking for examples of Irish sides outspending top English ones basically not Ireland - England - Ireland players.
Landscape has changed pretty dramatically now and Ireland are looking at non-Ireland based players. Sexton didn't go back as he had furthered his career. He has failed in Paris. However I think more and more players will be going abroad from Ireland and being picked from there.
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Like Sean O'Brien and Conor Murray went abroad last year? Yeah.

Sexton didn't fail. He was offered a new contract and turned it down to come home. I'm completely baffled as to what evidence you'd have for Ireland looking at non-Ireland based players when they have only picked indispensable players of late and next year there will only be two guys who've ever played international rugby for Ireland playing professional rugby outside Ireland, ones an 86 year old leprechaun and the other's a good trivia question.

Are Irish provinces likely to outbid the English and French at every opportunity? No, but Charles Piutau isn't going to Ulster for the bible reading groups. There's money there. There's also a stronger standard of player welfare, better chances for commercial endorsements, players' families, more chances for silverware and no risk to their international career. You say the financial landscape has changed - it's been changed for a good long time and all of the above has kept Ireland's best at home to date, with the exception of Sexton, who the IRFU annoyed, and is back now anyway.

Now, yeah, that might change - and I know a lot of Irish rugby fans who are worried it will - but if it does, it will probably be because Ireland's best and brightest hightail it out, not because a lad who's already overseas and can't attend training camps is putting in big performances. Hanrahan would have to become the best in Europe to change that... and lets be honest, if he does, he won't be staying at Northampton :lol:

p.s. Actually, I can think of 4 full Irish internationals who'll be playing abroad next season... first person to name them all gets rep, as does anyone who can add one I've forgotten. None of them are in a sparrow's fart of Ireland though, so they're besides the point.
 
Irish tend to go back:

Leicester had Murphy but I think his relationship with a certain Irish head coach certainly helped in persuading him to stay at Leicester.

Cullen and Jennings were class for us but we all knew they would return home. Trouble was they took Leicester trades with them.

Murphy was lured by Irish caps, I think he would have been better staying.

Morris ATM I can see him staying at Leicester until a time where Leicester might look elsewhere, he is well liked. He has pretty much signed a new deal this season. I don't know though what Ireland's depth is like at full back.
 
Peat said:
p.s. Actually, I can think of 4 full Irish internationals who'll be playing abroad next season... first person to name them all gets rep, as does anyone who can add one I've forgotten. None of them are in a sparrow's fart of Ireland though, so they're besides the point.
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Stringer (although not confirmed yet where he'll be, I think?)
Court
Neil Best
Is iHumph moving back abroad next year?
Caldwell
Whitten
Hagan
Downey

Had to think on some of them for a while. Surprised some of them even came to mind.
 
big ginger 8 said:
Stringer (although not confirmed yet where he'll be, I think?)
Court
Neil Best
Is iHumph moving back abroad next year?
Caldwell
Whitten
Hagan
Downey

Had to think on some of them for a while. Surprised some of them even came to mind.
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A good three I'd never thought of there - Court, Caldwell and Hagan I'd forgotten. iHumph has never represented Ireland at full international level though.

O'Leary's confirmed as going back, right? Anyway, yeah, none of that list bar maybe the 68 year old leprechaun would be getting international caps if back in Ireland... you've got to question whether some of them would even get provincial starts tbh. Ok, maybe Hagan, can never rule out a tighthead although gods knows he ain't much cop.
 
Peat said:
A good three I'd never thought of there - Court, Caldwell and Hagan I'd forgotten. iHumph has never represented Ireland at full international level though.

O'Leary's confirmed as going back, right? Anyway, yeah, none of that list bar maybe the 68 year old leprechaun would be getting international caps if back in Ireland... you've got to question whether some of them would even get provincial starts tbh. Ok, maybe Hagan, can never rule out a tighthead although gods knows he ain't much cop.
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Ah thought I remembered a cap against America or something but ah well.

Yeah TO'L is confirmed. Hagan has actually been converted to a loosehead as far as I am aware and has regressed from any promise he ever showed.
 

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